


As Long As He Trusts

by Freedoms_Champion



Series: Butt Out, Ozpin! [3]
Category: RWBY
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, He gets one too, M/M, No character bashing, Ozpin sucks at relating to people, Qrow Branwen Needs a Hug, misunderstandings will wreck your marriage if no one's careful, paperwork runs Ozpin's life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:26:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24431311
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Freedoms_Champion/pseuds/Freedoms_Champion
Summary: Ozpin's past lives usually let him get on with life without comment. On the other hand, every single one of them has something to say when Qrow is worse off than usual.
Relationships: Qrow Branwen/Ozpin
Series: Butt Out, Ozpin! [3]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1764307
Comments: 3
Kudos: 28





	As Long As He Trusts

**Author's Note:**

> This one isn't so much "Ozpin gets in someone's business" as "Ozpin's past lives keep tripping him up", but I think it still fits here.
> 
> Thank you for reading and I hope you enjoy!

Most of the voices of Ozpin’s past lives were quiet, only offering advice when he was stuck in a situation without a clear path forward. He’d been the host of Ozma for so long that it didn’t happen often, and he’d gotten used to a certain degree of mental peace. On the other hand, there were a handful of subjects that every voice had an opinion about, and they grew to a clamor whenever those subjects came up.

Unlucky for him, Qrow was one of those subjects.

“Qrow, I know that there are things you must do in order to manage your past and your Semblance, but this is going too far,” Ozpin said, peering sternly at his husband over his glasses.

Qrow slumped on the couch in their private rooms, blinking unhappily at his flask, which was empty.

Ozpin rubbed the side of his head as the chorus of voices built into a steady throb.

“I’m going to get up,” Qrow slurred, tossing the flask aside.

“That’s not the point. It’s barely 8 o’clock in the morning. That’s far too early to be drinking,” Ozpin said, sitting on the coffee table and pressing Qrow back down.  
The black-haired man shot him a crooked grin with way too many shades of suggestion to it and shrugged.

“Hey, that works for me, too, Oz. It’s not me that Glynda will chase after if you don’t do your paperwork.”

Ozpin sighed. “Qrow, I need you to talk to me. What has upset you so much? This behavior is outside the normal, even for you.”

Well, some things never changed. No matter what his name was or how long he’d had it, Ozpin wasn’t good with the people closest to him. Qrow lost the smile and tightened up, closing off his body language.

“Nothing. Sorry I don’t fit into your perfect little world,” he mumbled.

“Please don’t lie to me,” Ozpin said, knowing his body language suddenly matched Qrow’s.

Sometimes, he wondered how their relationship had ever lasted this long. He was impossibly old and found it harder to relate to other people with every lifetime. The centuries of experience didn’t make people any easier for him to understand, even though he had long since mastered the patterns in order to push people toward the outcome he wanted. It was a constant struggle to keep hold of his own humanity.

To make matters worse, Qrow didn’t trust easily. From the early years of his life, it had been proven to him repeatedly that the people who were supposed to care for him would only turn their backs on him. Even his own twin had proved that, not too long ago.

Ozpin tried not to hate, knowing that resentment could dog him for decades afterward, but it was hard not to hate Raven for the damage she had done to Qrow and the people Qrow loved.

So how did the man who kept secrets to save his life keep a relationship with a man who hated secrets?

Some days, it felt like yet another form of torture designed for Ozpin to make him give up on the quest the gods had given him.

Qrow slowly turned back to face him, shoulders hunched, red eyes wary under lowered brows. Ozpin longed to gently smooth those painful lines off his face, but he knew by now that moving wouldn’t make things better. He waited, the only thing he got better at the longer his life went on.

“I saw Raven on my last mission,” Qrow said quietly. His hands moved, searching for his flask automatically and not finding it. “She’s taken over the tribe.”

Ozpin steeled himself against another wave of shouts as every life behind his eyes offered different comfort for Qrow. No matter who he had been before or who he had loved, every bit of him loved Qrow in this moment. He’d had lovers over the lifetimes, but Qrow was the first soulmate since – 

“I’m sorry, Qrow. Is there anything I can do to help?”

“Not if you want to make it to your meetings on time,” Qrow said, flashing another crooked smile that was a shadow of the last one. It was progress, though. Slowly, the walls were coming back down.

It might take a long time, but Ozpin could learn individual people. Generalities were what kept escaping him.

“I don’t have anything important to do today. Glynda will complain, but it gives her joy in life to do so. Let me help, Qrow.”

Ozpin had an automatic message for this, and he sent it to Glynda’s scroll without much effort. Knowing her, she would grouse and roll her eyes, take care of her duties as quickly as possible, and spend the rest of the day catching up with James Ironwood. If she couldn’t keep Ozpin in line, she’d have to make use of her back-up.

Now, that was unkind. Ozpin blamed it on the ache in his head. Glynda loved James, though the distance between them was a trial he wouldn’t wish on anyone. She only nagged because she worried so much.

Qrow got to his feet, swaying around furniture to their bedroom while Ozpin double-checked to make sure he wasn’t ignoring anything important. He was going to even if it was important, but it was best to know what was happening. Then he set his scroll aside and joined Qrow.

Maybe it was selfish of him, but he did occasionally look forward to moments like this. Getting Qrow to open up and trust him could get tiresome when he was really reluctant, but each moment was a treasure Ozpin didn’t want to forget. No matter how many more lives were in front of him, he wanted to remember the simplicity of pulling Qrow into his arms and lying there, waiting for his soulmate to feel safe and trust him. Hours could pass while he slowly moved his hands, sometimes only along the length of Qrow’s arm until Qrow finally relaxed enough to mention what was bothering him.

Then again, some days Qrow’s trust took a different shape. That didn’t take as long, as Qrow gained the confidence to move his own hands, safe in the knowledge that he was wanted, that Ozpin loved him even though precious few others did.

Either way, it stilled the voices in his mind as every one of them could agree: when life was as long as his, it was best to enjoy every moment while it lasted.

Today, Qrow lay quiet, whispering his hurt into Ozpin’s shoulder while Ozpin slowly slid his fingers up and down Qrow’s back. He rarely managed to say anything to make Qrow feel better, but he had a feeling that listening was more important. So, he listened until Qrow fell silent.

Of course, after that, Qrow moved sinuously and put an end to thinking. Ozpin didn’t mind that. Sometimes, thinking led to one voice too many cluttering up his mind.


End file.
